Sisters of Arendelle
by ladyofthecherryblossom
Summary: The four daughters of King Agdar - Elsa, Rapunzel, Anna, and Gerda - face conflict and war as both the kingdom and their lives are changed forever. Inspired by the true story of the last Romanovs. Includes bloodshed/injury, tragedy, and romance.
1. Chapter 1

**_Summary:_** Elsa, Rapunzel, Anna, and Gerda are the four daughters of the King of Arendelle. Their lives are filled with luxury, privilege, and splendour - but that all changes when the King of the Southern Isles declares war on Arendelle.

 **The characters Elsa, Anna, and the setting are from Frozen. Rapunzel and the Queen are from Tangled. Gerda originates from the Russian animated film The Snow Queen. Inspired by the story of the Romanov family.**

 **December, 1920**

 _Gerda's knees buckled at the scene before her. Her blue eyes flickered and blinked rapidly, almost, dare she admit it, sparkling with fresh tears. Her orange satin gown, embroidered with milky pearls in an vastly intricate pattern, could not replace her deep feelings with the cheerfulness she always used to have._

 _This is it, she realised in a quickened heartbeat, This is war._

 _Behind her, Anna placed a gentle hand on her shoulder - with her tightly pulled up ginger hair and a bright spark of determination in her face, she now seemed more mature than ever. Rapunzel nuzzled her head against Anna's, her dark brown crop brushing sounding like the whispers of trees amidst the gunshots that crackled in the dark of the night. She squeezed Anna's hand tightly, as if to say, Please don't grow up yet. May you stay the same bright and bubbly girl you've been for life._

 _Elsa wasn't present in the sisterly huddle, who watched the scene slowly unfold before them like the pages of a book. Instead, she was in her own room, her chest thumping, eyes full of panic and skin paling by the minute. She wished - longed, even - for comfort, something, a voice, that would firmly tell her that everything was going to be fine, that the war would soon be over. But it couldn't happen. Her mother was in the study, frantically calling for ministers, officers, anyone that could put an end to what had now gone out of control. And Father - Father wasn't there to wrap an arm around her, kiss her fondly on the cheek, and say softly, "My dear, precious Elsa..."_

 _Somebody help, she thought desperately, Somebody help us._

-o0o-

 **August, 1916**

"Elsa!" Fifteen-year-old Anna skipped along the red velvet carpet, the castle hallways stretching out like some sort of maze from storybooks of knights and dangerous quests she often read in the royal library. Not that she'd ever gotten lost before. Growing up in a palace, it was nearly impossible.

Where was Elsa? Anna had been told constantly, even by her elder sister Rapunzel, that Elsa might be busy and should wait a while before she finally came around. But Anna couldn't wait. Patience was a virtue that she dearly lacked - she needed Elsa now! She wanted to tell Elsa something, before it all got muddled up in her forgetful brain!

"What are you doing?"

Anna yelped as she skidded to a sudden halt. Standing before her, arms folded against chest, was Gerda. Even though she was only twelve and therefore the youngest child, it didn't necessarily make her the idiot or dunce of the four sisters.

"Gerda, you know I'm on an errand of importance whenever I skip like that."

"That's an amazingly accurate description of you-" Gerda pretended to place a finger on her chin while thinking "-on any given day."

"Fifteen and I still skip, so what?" Anna sighed exasperatedly. "The point is, I need to find Elsa fast."

"That's an awfully suspicious-looking piece of paper sticking out of your skirt pocket," Gerda said suddenly, thrusting out her pointer finger towards the lower waist portion of Anna's dark green dress.

"It's only bits of rubbish I meant to throw out minutes ago."

"Really? It looks so neatly folded, I doubt you'd have labelled it as a useless thing." Before Anna's mind could adjust to what her sister was talking about, Gerda swooped down and snatched the paper square clean out of Anna's fingers, which had been lingering over the edges.

"Hey! Give that back-!"

"Like I'd do that. I want to see what you've been hiding."

"Okay, you can look at it, but only after I show it to Elsa," Anna spluttered, and slapped Gerda's hand, retrieving the piece of paper, now slightly crumpled, from off the carpet.

-o0o-

Sunlight filtered in through the glass panes of the lace-curtained windows within the room as Elsa sat at her desk study, writing a brief letter to her father (who happened to be the ruling King of their home island Arendelle), wishing him a safe travel. Dipping her quill pen one last time to scribble her own name in loopy handwriting, Elsa nearly upset her ink bottle when Anna and Gerda barged in through the doors without prior notice. Both appeared particularly excited - in the case of Gerda, anyway. Anna always seemed to be excited, no matter the occasion.

"What's going on?" demanded Elsa, brushing imaginary dust off her navy blue skirts. "Has Father come back?"

"No, he's not home for another two weeks," Anna answered, looking surprised. Elsa's lips curved in disappointment. "But," added Anna, whipping out a piece of what seemed to be repeatedly folded paper, "I wanted to show you this."

"Ahem. We wanted," interrupted Gerda, elbowing her sharply in the ribs. Anna tried to tell her that she didn't actually know what it was, and shouldn't talk, when Elsa spoke up, holding up both hands in a quizzical manner. "Hold on. What did you want to show me?"

Anna handed the piece of paper over, struggling to stifle a few giggles. Elsa unfolded it carefully, in the grace of a regular princess, and smoothed it out. Her eyes wandered slowly over the paper.

Gerda held her breath. Anna silently wondered how their eldest sister, a serious girl of seventeen, would react to this.

Elsa's face froze like stone for a short second. Then, unexpectedly, and most uncharacteristically, she burst out laughing.

"What? I want to see!" Gerda's hands immediately groped for the paper, her eyes hungry, while Anna finally let the noise inside her fly. When at last Gerda had gotten ahold, all three had now thrown themselves into fits of laughter, stitches forming around their clutched stomachs, tears running uncontrollably down their red faces.

They were laughing so much, in fact, that no one initially noticed a fourth figure appear in the doorway, hands on her hips.

It was Rapunzel. Dressed in a soft lilac dress, her long golden hair cascading like a waterfall down her back, the second of the sisters could very well be passed off as an angel. But not this time. Her bright green eyes were narrowed, and even though her mouth was fully shut, it told them that if somebody didn't answer her question (which was at the moment, obviously, what are you laughing at) that very minute, there was going to be some trouble.

"Rapunzel!" giggled Anna nervously, "what a pleasure to see you."

"I've been in your sight since morning," replied Rapunzel curtly, "and I can tell that something's up. You don't just go into the room of an elegant and poised princess, with a sister who you hardly get along with at times, and all of a sudden you're all chuckles. You're hiding something. I know you are."

The smiles faded from the sisters' faces. They couldn't show Rapunzel what they just saw. After all, she didn't know about it yet. If she'd seen it, then she'd come marching to the men who ran the printing press, demanding that it be altered for her sake. And then all the fun would be ruined.

It was rather strange, however, for something as small to be an affecting factor on Rapunzel's moods, for really she was a cheerful and intelligent girl who did everything a princess didn't always do, like painting murals on walls, pottery, playing instruments, reading botany and geography books, and was even beginning to practice archery. Only their father was aware - they didn't dare tell Mother about her lessons, as now they didn't Rapunzel about the paper.

"Well? Why are you staring?"

It just couldn't happen. Especially since it was a portrait of Rapunzel and Eugene, Duke of Corona - it was an announcement of their long-awaited engagement. Rapunzel looked beautiful in print, with her diamond tiara atop her head and wearing a regal gown, but there was something - odd - about the Duke of Corona's face. He was a handsome, swoon-worthy person in real life, but there was one mistake permanently etched on the paper...

"His nose!" cried Rapunzel, horrified. "What's wrong with his nose?"

"I know," Gerda chirped, a cheerful look spreading over. "The regular artist must have dropped out at the last minute, and a clown who had no experience in drawing filled in the remaining space left."

"Don't worry!" added Anna hastily, "I'm sure no one will notice!"

But Rapunzel didn't hear her. She kept staring at the announcement, now clenched tightly in her hands. "This'll humiliate him!" she shrieked, "if not humiliate our representatives of the arts! Their reputation will be smashed to bits!"

"Oh, for heaven's sake, it's not that big of a deal," huffed Gerda. "It can't be changed. The people of Corona and Arendelle will just have to deal with a hook-nosed Duke. Besides, there's already a thousand other copies printed and probably being sent out right now."

Only Elsa hadn't said anything since Rapunzel had come into the room - what was there to say, anyway? She was never a chatterbox at all, but she wasn't just going to remain silent, her thoughts left unaccounted for. So, she was about to comment on the situation, when Anna elbowed her, eyebrows raised. "How come you haven't got a suitor, Elsa? Rapunzel's a year younger than you - it's bound to happen eventually."

Of course Elsa had an answer to that. "As Crown Princess and successor to the Arendelle throne, I haven't time for romance. I have to think about more my studies and training to be queen," she finished smoothly, and promptly gave a that's that nod.

"Besides," she added, "I don't need a lover. I have my sisters," giving each a kiss on the cheek, and receiving four in return - Anna had given hers twice.

Rapunzel sighed as she glanced once more at the announcement paper. "I suppose the damage will have to be left be," she mused to herself quietly. "What's done is done."

-o0o-

The sun was setting beyond the tall transparent window standing from floor to ceiling as the four Arendelle princesses ate supper with their mother the Queen. While Elsa and Rapunzel sipped from porcelain tea cups and patted their lips with simple white napkins daintily, Anna and Gerda gulped down their strawberry fudge, demolishing each piece in thirty seconds. Looking on with disapproval, Rosemary stood up to make an announcement. "I have excellent news, girls."

"What?" Anna mumbled through the fudge stuffed inside her mouth. Elsa glanced up, her eyes full of gleaming hope.

"I've just received a telegram from the parents of the Duke - they want us to come meet their son in Corona!" exclaimed the Queen, her long brown curls bouncing happily.

"Will - will Father be home in time for us to all go?" asked Elsa tentatively.

From the doubtful look on their dear mother's face, Elsa's chest slunk down to her belly, knowing that the potential answer could be no. "We can't be sure," the Queen said finally, making tiny chops through her fudge with the fork in her hand.

"Are we travelling on the December Duchess?" was Anna's question, as she hopped eagerly in her seat.

"Yes, she's being brought out again for the trip."

Anna couldn't control her excitement.

The December Duchess hadn't been used since they were children. It was a shame, because the ship had everything - from a library of fairytales to a huge expansive deck with practically enough space to run about and play, nothing could ever replace the cherished memories she and her sisters carried from their beloved ship.

"What do you mean?" Gerda asked in bewilderment, her eyes moving from Anna, who was doing cartwheels around the table, to the Queen, who was watching her third daughter amusedly.

"The December Duchess was a ship," explained Rapunzel, finishing off the last of her tea, "it retired from use before you were born."

"You'll get to experience how fun it is to be sailing on the best ship there is!" said Anna, grinning from ear to ear, and broke off her cartwheel, wrapping her arms around Gerda in a huge bear hug. Then she frowned. "Before it's put away again."

"Not to worry," Rosemary informed them, "once the December Duchess has returned, it won't be retiring for a long time yet."

Anna whooped loudly, and continued to parade around, pretending to blow a trumpet using her lips to form short tooting sounds. Rapunzel and Gerda giggled, and Elsa only moved up closer to her mother, hugging her absent-mindedly. No one may have realised yet, but Elsa happened to be more worried about their father than anyone else.

-o0o-

A week had passed. Since then the Queen and her daughters had spent the last few days packing their things into several leather suitcases, with the assistance of servants and their personal ladies-in-waiting. On the day of departure, the Arendelle royal family stood in the port early in the morning, wrapped in matching brown coats over their winter dresses, each wearing a large plume hat over their heads. The chilly air wound around their bodies as fifty men carried a crate or suitcase across the wooden boards that connected the ship and dock - now that summer was nearly over, much to Anna's dismay, who wished she could pull out a pearl trimmed fan and wave it to hide the red flush on her face.

Elsa turned to look at Anna, noticing something wrong. "Your nose is turning red," she said. "Are you sure you don't have a cold?"

"No, of course not!" Anna replied, forcing a dismissive laugh from her lips - which were starting to turn not red, but a light pastel blue. "I'm not getting a cold - not today, anyway," she said under her breath, as if she were threatening herself. "And certainly not at Corona."

"Gerda!" one of the ladies-in-waiting hissed, catching the young princess swinging on the rails as they climbed up to the ship's deck. "Your mother will have a fit if you end up getting a concussion!" Gerda pulled a mocking face at her and leapt down.

The two younger sisters jogged up ahead of Elsa, Rapunzel and their mother, expecting in earnest for the familiar faces of the captain and his sailors aboard the ship, but what they saw rendered them speechless.

The entire crew of the December Duchess were there, but it wasn't just about their newly furnished velvet blue suits and white-striped hats trailing with red ribbons that attracted their attention. Anna and Gerda gawked like birds at one man that stood in the centre. He was tall, with well groomed caramel hair and a finely trimmed moustache, dressed in a black uniform with many medals and ribbons pinned to the chest.

"Father?" Gerda cried incredulously.

-o0o-

 **Early September, 1916**

The December Duchess cruised at steady speed along the calm ocean waters - the air was now slightly warmer so the women had all removed their coats and placed on simple silk dresses - as the younger sailors, about as old as Elsa, offered the King's four daughters to a lively dance on the main deck.

The other passengers and ship crew watched and cheered as each girl, arm in arm with one sailor, spun around in a dizzying circle, hopping and skipping as the sailors guided them with a hand and sometimes leapt right along with them. A bronze gramophone had been set up not far away, its merry instrumental sounds playing along. The King and the Queen stood at the front of the crowd, laughing as Anna tripped at one point and Rapunzel nearly whipped her partner with her golden hair, which was now almost reaching her waist, while spinning around at a fast pace.

For the first time in a while, Elsa was smiling, too. Now that Father was back and safe from his travels, she could finally breathe again. As soon as she and her sisters had gotten over gaping at the King as if he were a priceless jewel, she had been the only one who didn't flock away, but instead remained with him to ask him a few questions.

"How did you get back to Arendelle so quickly, Father? I thought you weren't going to be home by that time," said a bemused Elsa.

"I came home early," was Agdar's answer as they walked along the poop deck (Gerda often snorted whenever the name was mentioned). "Yesterday, that is. I decided to hide out here with the crew so you'd have a little surprise when you boarded the next morning."

"Father!" cried Elsa with a giggle, "We had no idea!"

"That's the whole point of surprises."

"No, I mean," explained Elsa, "you could have returned to the castle or informed the staff of your return."

The King only shrugged. "Well, it doesn't matter now. What's important is that I'm here, with your mother and you and your sisters, and that I can at least be there to visit the Duke of Corona. The lad's name - Eugene, isn't it?"

Elsa hadn't told him much about the announcement paper, but, after all, what was another misplaced nose on a poster?

At least she was happy, and so were her sisters - the dance had ended, and while she tried steadying a dazed and cross-eyed Anna against her shoulder, both Rapunzel and Gerda sneaked off down a secret staircase that led deeper into the ship.

"Where are we going?" whispered Gerda as they crept down the many wooden steps.

"You'll see," Rapunzel simply replied.

When they got to the bottom, she felt the wall and found a switch, flicking on the light. A pair of heavy doors opened with a click. Gerda stepped forward, and gasped in amazement.

It was huge. The room was filled with shelves of hundreds of books and volumes that extended from floor to ceiling. A great paper globe stood in the corner, next to a mahogany desk supplied with rich stationary in front of a glass window the size of an entire wall. A lamp shade frilled with yellowish lace hovered above, turned off to let the sun rays of the afternoon shine through.

"The library was my favourite part of the ship when I was a child," her elder sister told her softly. "I used to read and re-read every volume that rested in these shelves. Sometimes I'd needed to use a ladder just to reach the highest ones." Rapunzel laughed. "I was sad when the ship had been put away, never to be used again. But now we're on it once more, and I hope you'll enjoy this ride just as much as I did." She kissed Gerda on the cheek, who hugged her back.

Rapunzel may have been the only daughter who had inherited their mother's beautiful leaf green eyes (the rest had the King's shade of blue) but it so happened that Gerda took after both their love of books. Gerda spent a lot of time down there, poring over timeless stories such as Little Women and Treasure Island. Her favourite literature character was the grinning Cheshire Cat from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Gerda had always been particularly close to Rapunzel, just as Anna was with Elsa. They both shared the same interests, both had the same blonde locks (although Gerda's just barely touched her shoulders). One was just as creative and free-spirited as the other. All in all, they were born to be sisters.

 _I have to remember to thank her later,_ Gerda thought to herself, grinning.

Along the corridor, Elsa tucked Anna in using several blankets and quilts, just barely succeeding in keeping the girl warm. The bedroom carried three other beds, where they were to sleep together, unlike back at Arendelle where everyone had their own rooms.

"You have to stay in bed, Anna," said Elsa, with a sigh as Anna sneezed into her handkerchief for what seemed like the hundredth time. The bedside lamp cast a ghostly light over Elsa's pale face and dark brown hair. "I knew it. You do have a cold."

"Probably from the air back at home," assumed Anna, the tip of her nose as red as their mother's rubies.

"No, that's not the only thing. You've been wearing summer dresses even when you're not meant to."

Anna could only cough repeatedly, and dwell over the disappointment of being sick. _So much for coming to Corona a healthy woman._


	2. Chapter 2

**Late September, 1916**

Anna didn't realise she'd dozed off until she started with a jolt, waking up to nothing but pitch darkness. The rocking of the ship must have put her to sleep, because it seemed she was still in the jewelled muslin dress she wore that evening to the dinner party - plus, the way the floor beneath her lurched gently was practically enough for her to pass out again.

As soon as these two thoughts rose up in her mind, Anna could feel her corset squeeze against her sides like a circus balloon was being inflated inside her, and winced in discomfort.

"Wretched thing," she muttered as she tried flipping over to face the wall - it was also another attempt get rid of the feeling of air being pushed forcibly out of her lungs.

Just as Anna thought she was about to faint from breathing struggles, a voice whispered to her through the darkness. "Anna? Are you awake?"

A light suddenly flickered on some ten metres away, and Rapunzel's troubled face became visible clearly.

"What's the matter, Punz? Can't sleep?" Anna yawned tiredly, her eyes crusted from hours of remaining closed.

"I'm scared," Rapunzel admitted.

"Why should you be? We're arriving at Corona tomorrow."

"I've actually never met the Duke before," continued Rapunzel in a trembling voice, as if she hadn't heard her.

Anna was stunned. "Well, of course not! Every princess has an arranged marriage when they come of age. You're no exception." She pushed off the covers, and swung her skirt-bound legs over so that they leaned against the side of the bed.

"That's the thing. Since I've never met him, I don't know whether...you know boys. They either mature upon turning twenty or don't mature at all. In this case, what if he's the latter?"

"Hush, Punz," Anna soothed her, stepping over to give her a heartfelt hug. "Don't worry about a thing. I'm sure that he'll turn out fine. Even if the Duke isn't what you hoped for, maybe if his love is strong enough, he'll change just for you. Just like any other true man would do." Rapunzel gave a small smile and pecked her affectionately on the cheek.

"You're a great friend, Anna. Any man would be terribly lucky to have you." Anna returned her smile as both lay back in bed, and Rapunzel switched off the lamp, plunging them into the black of night once more.

-o0o-

The shot of a hundred cannons was heard quite distinctly during dawn - then several rounds of firecrackers, and finally the distant chorus of cheers.

At the edge of the ship (fairly close to the bronze mermaid that wrapped around the bow seductively) the first glimpse caught by the crowds who stood at Corona's city port was a young burly sailor, his yells ringing across the distance of sea between land and the ship itself. As the mist and fog cleared, there stood the King Agdar of Arendelle, proudly standing in his traditional uniform and medals, to whom everyone shrieked in joy to see the father of Corona's bride-to-be. Beside him was his wife, and his four daughters; they were dressed in the most lavish of furs and white silk dresses, matching floppy hats - it was the fashion - atop each woman's head. A set of glittering diamonds and pearls were wrapped around their necks, and could be found on earlobes and wrists - no doubt they'd been pampered up for the meeting with the Prince and Princess of Corona, along with their only son.

Gerda felt the wind rush through her hair as she eyed the skies, grey from the rain that had occurred not long ago. Luckily, they had dove under the deck in time, so their clothing had been miraculously saved. She noticed, however, that Rapunzel's face had turned white and nervous upon first sight of the port. Was she, perhaps, frightened of Corona, a foreign land? Gerda wondered why.

The noise of the crowd became louder and more distinct as the ship approached the port. Gerda would have liked to hop on the foot of the bow and shout, "Land ahoy!", but that would have meant an endless lecture from her mother afterwards, about 'lady's etiquette,' and 'keeping restrained,' and other nonsense Gerda really didn't need to be told to understand.

After what seemed like an eternity, the ship's front hit the shore, and the girls' ears were beaten mercilessly by the great confusion of noise and crowds that surrounded them at the port. Anna blushed furiously once she was in plain sight - she must look silly, if not childish, wearing her long hair in two braids as if she were a ten year old.

But Anna had no choice in the matter - her mother often told her that her hair was like a wild mane, impossible to tame. Also, she wasn't considered a young lady in society, as she hadn't quite turned sixteen yet; meanwhile, Elsa and Rapunzel, having already passed the womanly age of sixteen, were allowed to wear their hair in a plait wrapped around their heads like garlands, just as they did now. Gerda didn't have to have her hair fussed with as much as Anna's - their mother allowed her to wear it out at most times in public. The Queen said this was because Gerda's hair was perfectly straight and silky. Anna thought it was perfectly maddening.

The King and Queen nodded at the citizens of Corona as they passed by through the crowds; behind them, the four princesses, all beautiful in the envying female commoners' eyes, waved and smiled with grace, as they had always been taught to do, even as their thin satin slippers scraped uncomfortably against the cobble-stone road.

Elsa's posture and regal wave were perfection - Anna only wished she was like her, a proper princess, never having to worry about tripping over her own feet or appearing awkward, seeing as she was in her middle teen years. _How does she do it?_ she thought, feeling the same jealousy as the other girls in the crowd.

"His Royal Majesty, King Agdar of Arendelle," a herald announced in a booming voice before the King arrived at the large marble staircase leading up to the main doors of the Corona palace. By the time "Her Royal Majesty, Queen Rosemary of Arendelle," as well as "Their Royal Highnesses, the Princesses Elsa, Rapunzel, Anna, and Gerda of Arendelle," had been welcomed into the country, all were already at the top of the steps, gestured by several guards and officers to enter the room.

-o0o-

Just as Rapunzel imagined, the Corona throne room was a mighty grand spectacle to behold, with its tall golden pillars, curtains of shining velvet, and the flag - emblazoned with the royal symbol, a sun over a purple background - hanging over the wall where three thrones were vaulted to a three-stepped platform.

Rapunzel was in a daze as she was individually introduced to the King, as well as his son and daughter-in-law the Prince and Princess of Corona. She'd forgotten she was here for a certain reason until a gold-ringed hand slipped into her palm to shake it. "The Duke of Corona, Prince Eugene Flynnigan," the owner of the hand, a young man of twenty, offered.

Eugene was tall for his age, and wore a vest matching the colours of the Corona flag - purple striped with shades of gold. Otherwise, he wore a puffed up sleeved shirt underneath and leather boots over a pair of trousers. He had a flat mass of brown hair, a handsome goatee, and a pair of almond-shaped hazel eyes that seemed to stay fixed on Rapunzel for long periods of time. No matter how good-looking he was, all Rapunzel could think of was running off to contemplate over things in the palace lavatory - was this really what she wanted?

"Welcome to Corona, Your Majesty. It is truly a honour to invite you and your entire family to meet my young grandson." The King of Corona then smiled broadly, his hands spread out and emphasising on the word _honour_. "May we see your daughter, the Princess Rapunzel?"

Gulping silently, Rapunzel stepped stiffly forward. The King insisted her upon moving up furthur until at last she was nearly chest to chest with him. "I trust you're happy to marry Eugene, eh?" he asked, indicating the purple-vested man standing on his right, his white moustache bristling in question.

"I-I suppose," Rapunzel stammered, wringing her fingers behind her back. "I mean, Mother and Father did choose for me-," but she barely got to finish her sentence, before her mother glared at her, and Gerda managed a swift cunning kick that pained her numb legs. "That is, I'm satisfied with the choice, Your Majesty."

"Very well," the King nodded with a thoughtful frown. "I think, before our lunch banquet, you and Eugene can have a little time by yourselves." She agreed reluctantly. "Good. Dear Queen Rosemary, won't you and your other daughters join the Princess for a get-together with tea? Meanwhile my son and I'll have a talk with this man as well." He elbowed Agdar, who laughed and nudged him back.

Rapunzel glanced back over her shoulder like a lost, wistful puppy at her sisters while Eugene linked arms with her. Elsa, Anna and Gerda gave her apologetic looks as they too were led away by the King of Corona, and mouthed, _Good luck, Punz_.

Rapunzel was forced to endure the next few hours listening to Eugene speak about his day-to-day life, like flirting with the ladies and combing his hair every morning. When it was her turn to talk, she hurriedly excused hegrself and sped off to find the first bathroom she came upon.

To her relief, the lunch banquet had commenced shortly afterwards, and so she was reunited with her sisters and parents in the royal dining room.

"How did it go?" whispered Elsa as the loud clinks of forks and spoons followed the murmers of brief prayers that took place.

"Terrible," Rapunzel answered. "I can't believe I'm about to marry a man who spends half of his days wooing the women of Corona, even if he doesn't know most of them. Wish I was with you all in the tea room."

"Don't bother," said Gerda, "because tea time was just as worst. The King always came into the room every ten minutes, chatting on and on about how lucky a man he was to be able to marry off his only grandson. And then there was the Princess - she was so dreadfully boring, I thought I would fall asleep and spoil the contents in my cup."

"Gerda!" Elsa chided her sternly, but Rapunzel could tell that their eldest sister, polite as she was, agreed just as much. "Look, Rapunzel," she said in a low voice, so that neither Anna nor Gerda would hear, "It's not always a given that you marry the Duke, if it isn't true love. You're a princess, Rapunzel, a daughter of the King of Arendelle. No one can stop you if you decide to call the entire engagement off."

"They can if I decide to cut it short too early," argued Rapunzel, "and if I've barely gotten to know him. Maybe if I look deeper, Eugene might turn out to be more than just a self-centered person. You never know, right?" Elsa shrugged, her expression neutral. "I'm just saying, it doesn't hurt to remain engaged to him a little longer," she said, her mind fully made up.

"I suppose," said Elsa. "At least you've made at least one choice. And your choices matter a great deal, Punz, even if you don't realise it." Rapunzel was left staring pensively through walls, even as Elsa returned to cutting her meat into bite-sized pieces.

-o0o-

 **October, 1916**

It was ten o' clock at night in autumn-filled Arendelle. The howling wind and leaves in differing shades of red and gold pattered against the windows. One in particular, however, was glowing with light in comparision to the others consumed in dark, as well as echoing with the giggles of four girls, all in matching lace nightgowns and sitting cross-legged on a single quilted bed side by side.

"Pipe down, everyone!" Rapunzel protested as her sisters exploded into gales of laughter. "Mother and Father will hear!"

"Are you embarrassed that we found out about-" Anna pulled out a folded letter peppered in ink-drawn hearts "-your love letter?"

"Is that why you asked me to come to your room?" her sister demanded, swiping for the paper clutched in her hand - but Anna passed it over to Elsa, who was the tallest and hovered it over Rapunzel's head. Grinning sneakily, Elsa beckoned Gerda over. "Here. Read it."

"Don't!"

"Nice try, Rapunzel." Gerda opened up the letter, and read it in her best aristocratic voice, with a touch of romantic affection: "I may deeply regret this, Eugene, but I think I love you...You're so handsome, I feel so overwhelmed to marry a man like you...I'd simply die if it meant we could share a life together..."

"Okay, that last part is definitely untrue," Rapunzel began, the slightest hint of amusement in her irritated voice, when they heard somebody passing by in the form of several hurried steps, then a pair of doors slamming shut close by. The girls exchanged meaningful glances, all read the same way: Who was that?

Gerda was the first to leap off the bed and creep slowly towards Anna's bedroom door. Like a chain of force pulling them in, her older sisters followed her. Before they knew it, all were out in the freezing hallway, arms wrapped around themselves and shivering from lack of layers over their bodies. A chink of light peeked from a door that was open a crack down the hallway.

Elsa's eyes widened. Father's study, she motioned to the others with her lips. Something was wrong. Father wasn't usually up this late at night, especially not where he was now.

Suddenly, they heard him speak. "Where is he?"

Anna started to ask a question, but her sisters promptly shushed her before anyone else heard.

"What do you mean, he's not there?" the King's voice seemed to rise in volume with every syllable he pronounced, followed by a pound, presumably from his fist slamming the desk. "I cannot have this now! This is the worst possible time! Arendelle is not prepared!"

Elsa picked up another man's voice, seemingly coming from the telephone - was it a minister? - speaking from the other end of the line. "There's no choice, Your Majesty. You know the ruler of the Southern Isles, he insists upon everything he wants to be done. Besides, this is a war we're talking about, and in that case it's an entirely different matter."

The princesses glanced worriedly at each other. War? The Southern Isles?

The King's breath heaved audibly, as if he'd given in. "Very well, then. If his Majesty has made a declaration to do so...Minister Baglien, arrange for the armies and volunteers to join the front - we are going to war."


	3. Chapter 3

The next day at morning tea Agdar announced that the Southern Isles had declared war on Arendelle. All four girls eyed each other when they heard this, their expressions hidden craftily behind their sugar and cream coated cakes. The King was unaware about their late night eavesdropping, and the sisters weren't about to tell him in that moment. Pretending to look shocked (they'd done all that the other evening), Elsa decided to ask a question. "Why did the war start?"

"The King of the Southern Isles," said Agdar, dipping a biscuit into his tea, "has received various reports from his ministers - the majority of them concern one of his thirteen sons."

Gerda gaped at him. "Thirteen sons?"

"Thirteen sons," the King repeated, "all princes. The King of the Southern Isles has protested the fact that one of his sons were abducted by our men between our kingdoms and taken here in hiding. As far as we know, no such incident has been recorded, and therefore our main representatives have insisted this is not true."

"Of course it isn't!" said the Queen angrily, standing upright with a flash of fury. "Our guards and soldiers are good men! They would never commit such a crime as this!"

"So to make a long story short," her husband continued, although even he was starting to see the ridiculousness of the new war, "The King of the Southern Isles wants to get back at Arendelle for what we supposedly did." Elsa noticed a dry, sarcastic tone in his last few words.

"Nevertheless, it doesn't matter. War is war. And we must be prepared for it." He squared his shoulders and glanced round at his wife and four daughters one by one. Knowing him the most out of her sisters, Elsa had a strange intuition that their father, the King of all Arendelle, showed far more confidence than he actually felt.

-o0o-

 **November, 1916**

Out in the back garden, hedges of clustered wildflowers and red roses grew along a huge grass square where the white gazebo stood in a perfect scene of harmony. Perched upon a pair of wooden swings dangling from the ceiling, Rapunzel and Elsa discussed matters about the war.

"Turns out not only is Arendelle fighting against the Southern Isles," whispered Rapunzel as they swayed in the gazebo, "but Stefanbjord and Celadon Valley, two other nearby kingdoms, have decided to side with us. There's also news that Agrabah and Weselton are siding against Arendelle with the Southern Isles."

Elsa nodded. She had a feeling that a conflict between two different kingdoms would also turn against or join forces with other neighbouring monarchies. This war was beginning to transform into far more than they expected it to be.

"What about Corona?" she asked.

Rapunzel's face fell into worry. "We don't know for sure," she said, but Elsa could tell she was tugging at her nails while answering. "Eugene hasn't written to me for a week. Even the King of Corona has seemed to have given Father the cold shoulder."

"So it could be possible that Corona is with the Southern Isles?"

"It's not certain," Rapunzel insisted, but in truth she might have been mostly reassuring herself than dishing out the facts.

Elsa clasped her sister's hands in hers. "Don't fret, dear. I'm sure Corona will come through for us sooner or later. Besides, we've gained plenty of allies already, so why should there be any cause to worry?" She kissed Rapunzel on the cheek. "The war will be gone and done over with before we know it. Father will ensure that."

-o0o-

A band of trumpets sounded in the cold morning air and citizens came flocking by the hundred, forming a pathway as straight as a laid-out carpet from the Arendelle palace to the only religious place situated in the kingdom; the chapel. Every single person were all craning their necks, hoping to catch even the slightest glimpse of the King and his family.

Of course, no one cared much about Gerda by the time she passed by the crowds, as in front of her were her three sisters, all older and almost towering over her, dressed in the same diamond lined lace dresses and cream-coloured hats stuffed in the brim with pearly roses. Then there was the King and Queen, the main attractions as far as the people were concerned, the King in his famously photographed formal wear, and the Queen in a billowing lilac gown, her fully puffed up skirts trailing behind her - it could be said differently about her hair, as it wasn't in the usual loose curls, but piled up on her head in a bun, like many of the wealthy or fashionable women, only she had a small golden tiara perched up in her hair like a bird peeking out from its nest.

Gerda looked round her, attempting to absorb the sights - which mostly consisted of peering eyes and hands reaching out to touch a particle of clothing that belonged to the fleeting royal family. It was such a bore, to be stuck in a corset and petticoats, with the island's population gawking at you because you happened to be a King's daughter. Thank God she didn't have to wear a crown like their parents did - it would have been like trying to balance a brick on her head!

The curved mahogany doors to the chapel creaked open with a sound that echoed from the rusty metal handles. And suddenly Gerda's mouth was as open as the people outside.

The walls reaching the ceiling stood higher than in the palace. Looming mosaic windows let the light from the sun shine through, the images of Christ and the Virgin Mary glowing like an ember in soft shades, the dimness of the chapel vanquished by this beauty. Somehow, though, she could still sense darkness, even as lines of men dressed in white robes and gold sashes walked on either side of them along the aisle and carrying staff-like candle holders, a tiny flame emitting from each one. The wooden pews were mostly empty, except for an elderly woman praying fervently, and a few children glancing up at the royal family, their eyes full of tears - but they were not of sadness, but of hope. Everyone, Gerda realised, were counting on the King badly to win this war.

On the platform, where an enormous representation of the Cross hung behind, there stood the Bishop, in his intricately decorated purple robes and headwear as tall as any crown in the world. Even though his hair had long whitened to strands of snow and crinkles surrounded his face, his eyes were full of seventy years worth of pure wisdom and goodness. Gerda thought his presence amazing and truly admirable.

With the holy Bible held between his palms, the Bishop read multiple stories about the miracles of Christ, while the royal family sat listening intently in the front row. Finally, after a chorus of solemn hymns, the King stood up from the pews and kneeled before the Bishop. One by one, all six of them were at his feet. All prayed for the successful outcome of the coming war, and hoped in their hearts that their kingdom will be relieved of conflict for a long time after the war and remain forever in peace and harmony with the other kingdoms.

In front of her, Gerda witnessed her sisters and mother break down into quiet sobs, and even once or twice her father appeared to lose control of his emotions. _But I will_ _not cry,_ she thought to herself firmly. _I will remain strong. For my family and for our kingdom._

When the family had at last returned home, the girls' father kissed their mother firmly, promised her a few minutes after his daily work in his study - it had increased tremendously since wartime had commenced - and gave an affectionate peck to every one of his daughters. Then he was gone.

"I wonder what's going to happen to us," said Anna out loud as the four princesses sat in the same room, in the same circle on the single bed, playing an hour-long game of cards.

"More importantly," said Rapunzel reasonably, "what's going to happen to Arendelle?"

-o0o-

"Punz, come here," Gerda whispered, and Rapunzel glanced up from her desk. Pieces of paper scribbled with ink cluttered all over the table, and a stain or two of upset ink had made their permanent marks.

"Not now, Gerda dear. I'm busy."

Gerda tried to look over her shoulder. "What's that you're writing?"

Rapunzel's hands instinctively reached to grab the papers and stuff them hastily in her lap. "Nothing."

"Why does everyone hide everything from me?" Gerda protested, jumping onto Rapunzel's lap, who flailed her arms around like a pair of propellors.

"I'll be thirteen soon. I'm not a child anymore!"

"Fine!" Rapunzel stood up in her chair which caused her sister to tumble onto the floor, rubbing her sore head in pain. "I've been writing to Eugene again," she said, fixing the folds of her skirts.

"The Duke? The man you're engaged to? I think you're on to something - in love, perhaps," Gerda grinned and slapped her on the arm playfully.

"Humph. You're one to talk. I've seen you and that kitchen boy together a lot lately."

"He's not just a kitchen boy, he's Kai," said Gerda irritably, "and we're only friends. I'll rather marry a soldier within the kingdom."

"Not a prince or duke?"

"Not for the world. I wouldn't marry anyway if it wasn't part of being a King's daughter."

"Hand it over, then." Gerda rolled her eyes and shoved an envelope into her hand. The envelope was white and sealed with red wax containing a sun emblem. Rapunzel recognised it - the symbol of Corona.

She picked at the seal with her nails, Gerda watching the envelope as if a grenade was being carried inside it. Rapunzel smoothed out the letter upon opening the envelope. Her eyes tilted upwards, surprise lighting up in the shine of emeralds.

"What?" Gerda demanded.

"It's - it's from Eugene," Rapunzel said, trembling from head to toe. "Read it. I can't." Her shaking hand slipped the letter into Gerda's own. Gerda dreaded the worst - perhaps Corona wasn't allies with Arendelle after all.

 _Dearest Blondie..._

"Blondie? Of all the pet names he could have called you, the Duke decided upon that?"

Rapunzel pointed to her golden plait with her index finger. "Keep going," she urged impatiently.

 _I'm sorry that I have not written to you in two weeks. My father told me to put it on hold until he decided where Corona's loyalty lay in this oncoming war._

 _The weather's been horrible in these past few days. Instead of the warm, sun-filled summer days we had anticipated, Corona has been plagued with the fierce storms of the typical winter - it's as if our country knew what day it was today. Speaking of which, our soldiers have been fully prepared for the fight ahead. I have decided in my own time that I shall contribute to the brave services our army has done and will do. Do not be troubled, my love - I will be home in time for our marriage._

 _From your ever loving Eugene_

 _P.S. We stand by your kingdom. Father has confirmed this. I fight for you, Blondie._

As Gerda concluded the letter, she realised that Rapunzel's eyes swum with fresh tears. "Oh..." Her whispers carried across the room in the form of a wind-like presence. "That was...that was..." She swallowed. "That was beautiful."

"Wait a minute," said Gerda, interrupting Rapunzel's sentimental moods, "Are you sure the Duke himself wrote this, and not maybe, I don't know, a member of the court representing him? This doesn't sound like the Duke of Corona at all."

"My God, Gerda, you're not the one writing to him," Rapunzel snapped in sheer frustration. "He's changed since the day we went to Corona." It's just like Anna said, she realised happily. He's a true man. He changed just for my sake.

"No need to shout at me like that," grumbled Gerda, and she exited the room, complaining under her breath, "You'd think she'd thank me for reading her letter..." Her voice drifted with her down the corridor.

When nobody was looking, Rapunzel let herself fall down on her back onto her bed, closing her eyes and clutching the letter to her chest as if it were a second heart. She felt as if she could cry all over again. _He cares. He cares. Eugene does prize me above all else._

-o0o-

Before the sisters could even grip the truth that a war was breaking out, they were standing at the Arendelle port with their mother and hundreds of others the following morning, all rugged up in coats, waving tearfully at the King, who was departing for war in a yacht along with an entire army of Arendelle soldiers - each one wore proudly the colours of blue and green against their dull uniforms, as well as the golden flower emblem. Handkerchiefs fluttered and the voices of the people wished the men luck and to prosper in the war.

The yacht, recently constructed, was named Mélancholie, and rightly so; the women all felt it, from the royal family to the female villagers, for they feared greatly for those who knew them and fighting - but all knew that every sacrifice, great or small, was for the good of their sacred kingdom.


	4. Chapter 4

**December, 1916**

"Your Highness, and what exactly do you think you are doing?" A pair of steel grey eyes bored deeply into Anna's skull as she lay there against her desk, without remembering where she was and why a voice was speaking to her so austerely as if she had done something wrong.

"What am I doing?" Anna repeated stupidly. For some reason, she could hear muffled giggles rising, not far from where she was. "You tell me."

The man frowned at her, hardening his grip on a copy of The History of Europe, clearly disappointed in Anna's lack of attention. "That is not good enough, Your Highness. If you do not fully appreciate my teachings on the subject of the world's history, then you are thereby dismissed from this classroom."

"Professor Gillan!" cried Anna, lifting her head abruptly. "Oh, no, no, no. Of course I appreciate your work, sir. Please continue," and, to show she was attentive, starting taking notes on her chalkboard, even though she hadn't the slightest idea of what she was writing. Gerda snickered and Rapunzel's eyes wandered to the heavens, tutting under her breath.

Edward Gillan stared at her for a brief moment, almost as if his hopeless daydreamer of a student had really gone round the bend, deciding after that to leave the princess to shape up on her own. Gillan had been in their lives since he first started tutoring the King's eldest daughter Elsa - he hadn't changed since then, except for the fact that his groomed dark hair and cleanly shaven moustache were starting to grey, and his teaching suits alternating every time, save for the handkerchief poking out of his chest pocket. At first, he was the only tutor in the palace, but eventually several others came to earn a living from the most powerful man in Arendelle - now Professor Gillan taught only History and Social Studies, while Anna and her sisters were forced to take English, French, Geography, the usual that guaranteed (or, at least in Anna's eyes) absolute boredom.

So here she was, stuck in a dingy and stuffy classroom, supported by a few whitewashed pillars and covered wall to wall with gold framed paintings of different rulers of the continents, from Europe to the Americas (although Anna was fairly sure they didn't have any monarchies, but governments lead by elected presidents), lined with shelves of volumes and encyclopaedias beneath a bunch of marble busts, a few, as the Queen would put it, 'disgracefully exposed.' For her, such sights as those were 'distasteful,' and 'uncouth.'

Four ordinary schoolgirls' desks were set evenly, two at the front and the others in the near back. From the moment all four princesses were eligible for going to tutoring lessons, Elsa and Rapunzel immediately chose the front desks, as they were simply 'eager to learn,' in the words of Professor Montgomery, their English tutor, and were therefore very intelligent and succeeded in their academic studies.

Meanwhile, Anna and Gerda were only too glad to head up the rear side of the room, not far from where a giant-sized paper globe stood in the corner. Both hated studying with a passion, and often lost concentration during lectures on, well, anything. John Herring, who taught Geography, thought the two younger sisters tended to completely disregard their work - but in truth, it was just because Anna and Gerda had trouble keeping up without falling asleep.

While Professor Gillan blabbered on about a queen of France named Marie Antoinette and went into the details of the chopping of her head - "Ghastly," Rapunzel gasped, nearly losing her lunch - Anna stared at the window, eyes glazing over, escaping reality and venturing to a world where all her utmost dreams were kept well and danced in the moonlight.

-o0o-

"You called for me, Father?" Elsa asked softly, stepping into the King's study with caution and steadily glancing around the room. Agdar's eyes met his daughter's - though he sat at his paper-filled desk across from where her figure appeared in the doorway, Elsa could see grey bags of weariness and exhaustion hanging from under his eyelids.

"Please, Father, you must rest. It's not good to overwork yourself," she cried, and scampered over to hug the King. He smiled weakly at her. Elsa understood him. She was, after all, the King's successor to the throne.

"Oh, dear Elsa, if I could throw away all those papers and reports," Agdar began wistfully, giving a peck on her cheek - inviting her to sit on his lap, though she was turning eighteen in less than three days, he bounced her gently like old times.

Elsa's whole face brightened up, the rays of sun seeming to sparkle lightly through her eyes and mouth. Neither a wide smiler like Anna or an object of sweet disposition like Rapunzel, she rarely smiled, but when she did, it was like the quiet, demure princess had shattered into pieces and then replaced with a beaming young woman, the light of everyone's lives.

"The war's been getting to me an awful lot lately, Elsie," the dear man confessed, continuing to balance Elsa on his knee. "Sometimes I just don't know what to do with myself."

"Better to do one small thing at a time, then try and conduct an entire piece of work," advised Elsa, her smile remaining still.

"But I know whenever I think of my daughters, I feel at home again."

Elsa wracked her brains. _I feel at home again_. Those words sounded terribly familiar. _Whenever I think of my daughters...I feel at home again..._

The image that once flashed on the inside of Elsa's eyelids now ceased to exist, and her heart jolted inside her chest. It was only a dream. Eyes fluttering open, she stared at the dark ceiling above her, wishing that the whole thing could have been real.

Or was it? Father used to always tell her that even the slightest bit of imagination could turn into reality if she could just picture it happening. Maybe if she thought hard enough, the meeting between her father and herself could very well be two dreams crossing over - for all she knew, the King could have had precisely the same dream.

-o0o-

"Hey, Elsa." Anna grinned from ear to ear as she leapt onto Elsa's bedside, which meant she was performing her usual wake up call. Naturally, Anna was a morning person. "Rapunzel's already having breakfast. Bacon and eggs, Elsa - we're going to eat like commoners! Won't that be a change?" When her sister didn't respond, Anna shook her repetitively. Her hands were strong enough to lift a bust of Michelangelo and throw it across the room like it was nothing.

Elsa groaned and reluctantly got out of bed. "I think I might have cramps," she mumbled at the quiet decibel of a mouse. Anna laughed. Even a ladylike princess such as Elsa could have her own ungainly moments.

When they'd finished eating, Elsa asked their mother if she and Anna could stop by in town to look at shops and bakeries and all sorts of other places in Arendelle - since it was Sunday, and no lessons were to commence that day, she agreed to drop them off with a few guards after mass in the chapel.

"I don't see why we can't go by our selves," muttered Anna as she and Elsa walked briskly along the busily crowded footpath, accompanied by three guards in grand uniform. "We're teenagers now."

Because of the guards, and probably also due to the distinct beauty of the two girls, they had gained most of the people's undivided attention, and halted in their footsteps to stare dumbly at the passing princesses. Even cars - red, yellow, with young drivers or old timers - had pulled over to catch a glimpse of them. The guards struggled to fend off the crowds being drawn in their direction, shouting for every citizen to make way. One little girl in a floral patterned dress pulled out a Brownie camera and pressed down the shutter with her finger, blinding Elsa and Anna for a brief second. Luckily, another person, this time the camera girl's mother, tittered in her brown high-necked dress and feathered hat, and ordered for the camera to be put back in her purse - amazingly, it could fit.

"You'd think people'd have nothing better to do than to gawk at the King's daughters like birds," said the woman, and nodded at the sisters with understanding. For once she didn't curtsey and say Your Royal Highness, Elsa noted, sighing in relief. She didn't treat us as if we were holy treasures like so many others do.

The cupcake shop was where the two girls planned to abandon their high security. The guards were so preoccupied with choosing the icing, topping, and flavours of their own cupcakes, that they neglected the sisters' absence as they'd already snuck out minutes before.

"Where do you want to go now, sister?" Anna asked, a devilish grin spreading across her face, as the two linked arms - they avoided the richer shops, as everyone expected the wealthiest girls in Arendelle to travel along those streets. "Your choice."

"The hospital," Elsa decided firmly.

"What? No, Elsa! The hospital's a dreadful place." Anna shuddered at the mere thought of being there. "Why the hospital? Why not try other shops, or a second round in the bakery?"

"The hospital is a safe haven and a place of recovery for the soldiers fighting in the war, remember? I just want to pay a visit to them, that's all."

"You sound like Rapunzel," snorted Anna. "All about sentimentality. But yes, I do think the soldiers will like to wake up to the two of the princesses of Arendelle standing and watching them sleep."

"Anna, that's not funny!" sighed Elsa, although even the slightest trace of amusement wiggled her lips.

"Fine, we'll go." Elsa smiled gratefully at her younger sister, who might as well have been closer in age - Anna had grown rapidly over the years, and was now roughly the same height as her. She gave her a small squeeze that meant _Don't ever grow older_ , setting off in a flourish of skirts.

-o0o-

Anna was right, of course. The hospital wards consisted of a dark and manky room with a single arch shaped window as the only source of light. Each ward was clustered with metal frame beds with thin sheets that vaguely resembled mattresses, with pillows and sheets stained with dried splashes of vomit and specks of red. The poor things must have been coughing up blood during the night, thought Elsa, horrified. Behind her, she could hear Anna retch and gag, clearly disgusted by the lack of sanitation and quality in the hospital.

In each bed lay a soldier in white night gowns provided by the hospital, moaning pitifully in their sleep. Some wore heavy casts around their arms, legs, or any other parts with granted injury, and there were soldiers who'd been recently brought in, covered in fresh gaping wounds and scars from being shot at repeatedly with bullets.

Elsa tried to keep herself as mentally composed as possible, just for Anna - she needed a calm and stable person to guide her through the wards - but even she was beginning to feel increasingly faint.

"Elsa," Anna whimpered, clutching onto her arm tearfully, "Please. Let's go home."

"Can I help you?" A kind woman dressed in a nurse's uniform - an apron over a grey gown established with a red cross - appeared behind them. Anna jumped.

"Could you please take us to a..." Elsa fumbled for the right words, "a less explicit ward?"

"Good gracious, yes. This room carries the worst of the wounds ever sighted on those men," the nurse said sadly, "And I advise you not to walk round here, especially when there's an operation."

"Operation?" Anna squawked in horror, her voice rising an octave.

"Indeed, dear. Come along," and the nurse beckoned the sisters over outside in the hallway, where Anna felt was safe to exhale a great deal of her breath. What a horrible place this is, she thought, shivering, not just from the cold air that wafted through the window shutters.

"Here," the woman said, opening a door that seemed to promise a place of warmth and comfort, "this is Ward 608. It's where the less fragile men go to pass the time." Elsa looked over her shoulder at Anna, searching for approval. Anna nodded meekly.

Inside was better than the previous ward they'd visited. The walls were washed over with a pearly colour, hidden with a hint of pink, the floors of shining marble. The windows were made of crystal glass panes, casting light onto the entire room. The beds looked soft and snuggly, and some soldiers, still invalids but appearing cheerful, sat around them as they chatted animatedly about all kinds of subjects.

"As you can see, a lot of our patients have bonded together since day one," the nurse informed them, puffing up her chest proudly. "But there are others - especially newcomers - who haven't yet made friends. Won't you lend a hand and talk to those men? Keep them well entertained for an hour or so."

Both girls nodded eagerly. The nurse thanked them and left the room.

While Elsa floated from bed to bed, grasping men's hands and assuring their recovery and return to the war, Anna wandered around the ward, wondering who she'd talk to. Then her eyes caught to an area near the back window.

A young man, about Elsa's age, sat in a beige armchair, glancing pensively beyond the glass panes. His leg appeared to be broken, draped around with bandages, but otherwise he seemed alright. The man had dark red hair, growing along his ears in sideburns, and bright hazel eyes. Anna thought he looked very handsome. In a single heartbeat, she approached him, fiddling with her fingers nervously.

"Um...excuse me?" asked Anna, sitting carefully on the bed nearby. The man looked up at her.

"Are you by yourself?" was her next question. It sounded awkward, so she continued. "I mean, not that you're by yourself, there's other men here too, but I was wondering...if you have anyone to keep you company." She blushed. Who was she kidding - this soldier, handsome as he was, would never accept her graceless ways. So it was Anna's pleasant surprise to hear the man speak in return.

"No, I've just arrived. And you must be the daughter of the King."

"Well, third daughter," Anna replied, a trifle embarrassed. "Elsa's the most important. She's heir to the Arendelle throne!"

The young man waved his hand dismissively. "What does it matter that you're not the crown princess? Your words and personality still prove interesting." Anna snort-giggled, then clapped a hand over her mouth, her face turning redder still. What kind of a King's daughter was she in front of this gentlemanly soldier?

"Rest assured, Your Highness," the man soothed her, smiling, "I don't mind. I've never come across as much princesses like you than the ones I've actually met, and that's not saying much."

From the moment he spoke these words, the two struck up a long and successful conversation, talking to each other like they were old friends.

So when at the end, Elsa announced that they must be on their way, Anna couldn't in her life have been more disappointed to leave the hospital. Before she hurried off, she informed him in a yell, "My name's Anna, by the way!"

"Hans," he called back. "Safe travels, Your Highness, and God bless you!"

-o0o-

The next day, Elsa celebrated her birthday - it so happened to be an important stage of life in Arendelle royalty, just as much as a princess's sixteenth birthday would be. Now eighteen years old, she would be at the right age for any privileges her sisters were, under law anyway, too young to be given at the moment - even drinking wine and champagne. It was at this time that Elsa would have her own crown and coat of arms, and therefore gain an identity in the public eye. "She even gets to travel on her own," sighed Gerda with a groan. "I can't even step one foot out of the gates without getting scolded by Mother. And her wardrobe! Now Elsa won't have to be stuck in the same old white dress as the rest of us."

"Don't complain. Remember your birthday is on the twenty-eighth - that's in seven days," Anna reminded her, while the four sisters knitted in the sitting room, which they found the cosiest part of the palace, besides their bedrooms.

"So?"

"Turning thirteen is a huge deal," said Rapunzel, looping a piece of pink thread through her needle's eye. "It signifies your coming of age. Then once you're sixteen you'll have a formal ball when you wear a lovely ballgown and have your hair up for the first time."

When Gerda finally did turn thirteen, the royal family ended up having a very quiet celebration in the palace. The King was home temporarily for the celebrations, and all spoiled the youngest princess with plenty of love and presents - her father gave her an ornate silver box with a collection of gemstones inside, her mother a pearl necklace. The gifts from her sisters weren't expensive, but nonetheless crafted by their hands and from the heart; Elsa had embroidered for her a mauve cushion decorated with purple flowers and scented with lavender sprigs; a self-made watercolour painting of an elegant snow queen from Rapunzel, and a paper mâché display of a snowman with a straw top hat and a carrot nose sniffing the roses from Anna.

While the family were treated to the fanciest and most delicious tea they'd had in ages - iced biscuits with strawberry pink glazing atop a pile of chocolate candies, Gerda's favourite - Anna seemed to be acting very strangely. Her eyes seemed to stare beyond the walls, she'd jolt whenever she heard a man's voice, and once when the King read out the name 'Hans' printed briefly in the daily Arendelle newspaper, Anna was brought to sudden attention.

"Something's up, Anna," hissed Gerda suspiciously. "You become sensitive whenever the words 'soldier' and 'invalid,' or even 'war' is mentioned. Tell me what's going on."

Anna refused to explain, stuffing her mouth with chocolate just so she had an excuse not to talk.

Later at night, when Gerda was certain that Anna was in bed out cold, she intruded her wardrobe and removed an entire heap of slippers and dolls from the dark depths until her hand latched onto a gold trimmed spine of a maroon leather bound book - Anna's diary. While in her own room, flicking through the pages, Gerda came upon an entry that quite intrigued her:

 _Yesterday Elsa and I went for a stroll in town. We visited many shops - for example, one that sold cupcakes, where we both left the guards (they were worried sick after we came back, and Mother was on the verge of scolding). We went to the hospital on our own. I was little scared about the place, but something happened that completely changed my views on being in a hospital. I met this soldier. He had a broken leg, and currently lives in Ward 608 (my favourite ward, mind you). His name was Hans, and we seemed to easily familiarise with each other as soon as we met. I can just barely write...my hands are shaking...I feel my heart thumping madly...spinning head...what is this strange, strange feeling?_

Gerda gasped when she saw the bottom line and could not bear to read any further. _She's in love. The youngest sister I'll ever have has a crush on a soldier. What am I going to do?_

There was a knock on the door. Gerda slipped the diary hastily under her pillow before calling out, in a trembling voice, "Come in."

It was the kitchen boy, Kai. With tanned skin and neatly combed hair, no one could guess that he spent every day scrubbing pots and pans, not even from the apron he wore over his brown peasant clothing.

"H-happy birthday," he mumbled, and brought out his hand which he'd been hiding behind his back. Inside his palm was a miniature flower pot snowflakes and sprinkles of snow carefully painted along the surface. A delicate five-petaled daisy was sprouting from the soil.

"You grew this for me?" Kai nodded timidly. "Oh, thank you Kai!" Gerda threw herself onto him, who blushed furiously because the princess was at moment in her nightgown - it was practically a crime to come in contact with a woman of royalty if she wasn't in her usual petticoats and day dress.

Long since Kai left the room, Gerda found herself turning red as well. _Oh, no. Am I going to fall in love, too? Maybe we're all like that little flower - in time she will blossom into her own beauty._


	5. Chapter 5

**January, 1917**

For most of the week, the roof and gardens of the Arendelle palace were buried in deep winter snow. When the sisters woke up one cold and freezing morning, they were delighted to discover frozen icicles hanging like ornaments on a Christmas tree along the window frame outside. While Elsa entered the balcony to snap a photo of Rapunzel and Anna waving from the icicle-embedded window, Gerda seemed to keep silent a lot and took a lot of convincing to have her own picture taken. Rapunzel thought she looked rather sad behind the black and white print.

In fact, everyone seemed to act far from the usual. The Queen was now fidgety and nervous since the King sailed back to resume work in the war, Elsa went in and out of their father's study, as if she was hoping in desperation for any news, while Anna would leap onto the nearest living being and ask to be taken to the hospital - she wanted so badly to visit 'the soldier in Ward 608.' Even the staff and servants in the palace were pushing themselves beyond the limits and working harder than ever, despite Queen Rosemary's objection and insistence that they have a break and rest 'occasionally.'

The only person who was acting normal was Rapunzel. Dazed and utterly confused by the world that was gradually changing around her, she raced along the corridor to speak to her closest sister and confidant. The minute she opened the door, however, she wished she hadn't. Gerda had still not been relieved of her melancholy state - since her birthday had come and gone, she hadn't been the same witty and vivacious child Rapunzel and her other sisters were used to seeing. Gerda kept to her room all the time now, and would only come out for lessons and meals. Perhaps it was simply part of her becoming a teenager, but Rapunzel had the strange feeling that it was much more than that.

"Are you all right, Gerda?" asked Rapunzel tentatively as she entered the room. She sat on the bed, where Gerda lay on her back, looking wistful in her long-sleeved sky blue dress patterned with diamond snowflakes. "What's wrong? Why are you so sad?"

Gerda didn't answer. She rolled onto her side, facing the window with its curtains wide open. Outside by the black metal gates, the Queen and an elated Anna were being escorted by a broad shouldered guard into a green and gold carriage, pulled by four strong legged horses, their coat and mane as white as the snow beneath their hooves. Even though the age of traditional travel had long since gone by (everyone used motor cars now) the Arendelle royal family decided that a carriage was still useful in the modern century. Gerda's eyes were fixed firmly on Anna, dressed in a fur trimmed cream coat and cap, given to her by the King from his travels in Russia.

"I'm worried about Anna," Gerda admitted, her face in her pillow, and unknowingly answering the question that had been nipping on Rapunzel's lips for ages now.

"What about Anna?"

"It's just that..." Gerda trailed off for a moment, then began again. "I'm afraid. Afraid of what might happen. Anna seems to be growing up a lot lately. Before we know it she'll be married and move into a new home and leave us forever.

"Part of me couldn't care less. It happens all the time, right? But then there's this piece of my heart, the stubborn and childish one, that won't let go. I find myself clinging onto Anna in my mind, and realising I don't want her to leave. You'd understand if you knew what I was talking about.

"I love you and Elsa dearly, but Anna has been my only real playmate for years. We used to ride bikes together, play checkers, once we even started our own garden. Me and Anna, we did everything together. And now that she's getting older - who's the closest person in age I can happily engage with now? I can't befriend any of the girls from the town, because I'm a princess. No one ever allows a girl of royal birth to simply step out the gates and have plain, everyday fun with the other girls!

"Everyone pays a price for having a life, even royalty - for us, it's freedom, privacy, and a chance at a solid relationship with people deemed outside our league. And I won't have that! If being a princess means no free choices or love in life, then I am no princess at heart. That's why my dream is to marry a respectable soldier and to live quietly in the idyllic countryside with children; but I know that given what I am in everyone's eyes, that will never happen."

Rapunzel stroked Gerda's hair with sympathy as a single tear rolled down the girl's cheek. "Do you ever wish that Father was not a King or a ruler of Arendelle, but just Father?"

"Of course. Poor Father always has to deal with the ministers and all the boring work put in front of him as if he were a school boy. Ridiculous, if you ask me. Father makes the best King in the world, but I like him best as someone who believes in the rich importance of family."

"I do, too," Rapunzel agreed, a smile perking up across her cheeks. "But I thought we were talking about Anna, not the sorrows and burdens of royal life."

Gerda replied with a 'pfft' without hesitation. "I won't worry about her yet. There's other things I have to worry about more - like the war and our fate in the near future. Besides, I've heard of people who've grown older in the past couple of years, and still manage to maintain their youth and innocence from childhood. I just pray to God that Anna will be one of them."

-o0o-

"Now, stay here, Anna, and don't wander anywhere besides this ward," Rosemary warned her daughter as Anna pretended to hang onto every word, even though she rolled eyes at being treated half her age. "While I'm here, it shall be my duty to visit the other injured soldiers. And I might as well do something about the other wards - they're..."

"Absolutely appalling," Anna offered.

"Precisely. Meet me at the counter at ten thirty," and the Queen walked off, the click-clack of her heels echoing along the hallway. Checking that her hair was acceptable and her dress in a satisfactory state, Anna pushed the door to Ward 608.

" _Bienvenue, chère princesse Anna_ ," Hans cried, his arms spreading out extensively.

"Um...I can't speak French," Anna told him. I should've paid more attention in my lessons, she thought, cringing.

" _Non_?"

Anna shook her head. Hans laid himself back and pondered, devoting his entire face to concentration.

Now tucked up in bed, instead of resting in the beige chair like the way Anna was used to, Hans seemed quite the lark that day. "No matter," he replied with a grin. "I welcome you with warm arms."

"I see your leg's still broken," Anna noted, pointing at his stiffened cast. Hans nodded gravely. "How long until it comes off?"

"The doctor believes I'll be up and running in seven to eight weeks time," he answered, stroking the lump Anna presumed (or at least, hoped) was his knee.

"That's terrible. Which army are you from?" asked Anna, hanging her removed coat and cap onto a rack, and settling herself at the foot of the bed.

"I...can't remember," Hans replied honestly. To Anna, his voice sounded like a song; woe and confusion were two notes strung together. "It's the reason I'm here."

Anna's mouth fell open in shock. Put aside a dislocated leg - this man had a case of amnesia! Surely there could be no injury worse than that; the poor thing probably lost all the treasures of memory - family, friends, home...he couldn't even remember his own soldier regiment. Anna bit her lip. If he'd forgotten which country he was fighting for, this would prove difficult on their friendship; now she wasn't exactly sure if he was with her father or the enemy.

But, Anna thought hopefully, there's no harm in making friends with him, right? After all, if he's an amnesiac, it would make more sense if he was, until his memory returns, neutral to the war. And I'm sure Father meant for this to be a hospital serving our allies, not the armies against us.

"I'm sorry," she said gently, patting his arm. No harm done, Anna silently encouraged to herself. Hans returned the favour by slipping his hand into hers; strangely enough, it didn't feel rough and calloused like most other soldiers' hands, but soft as baby's skin - and warm, might she add. Without warning, Hans pulled it away.

"What's wrong? Did I do something?" asked Anna, disappointment creeping up into her body.

"Your Highness," Hans gasped in apology, bowing his head in shame. "I do not have the authority to even lift a finger on you. I confess I'd forgotten who you were for a brief moment, princess. I am sorry."

"Oh no, don't be," Anna replied quickly, flushing in embarrassment. "And I don't want to be referred to by any titles or formalities. Just call me Anna!"

"Are you sure?" Hans asked in worry.

"It's not against the law to address a princess by their Christian name-"

"Which is a sign of disrespect in itself," interrupted Hans.

"Not if you're a friend, it isn't!"

"Well, alright...Anna," he said, though his voice still sounded uncertain. It became light and chirpy again once he'd offered Anna to a few games of checkers. As usual, she beat him, and being a good sport, Hans was happy to praise her clever win. They moved on to another round shortly afterwards.

"Encore!" Hans announced, over and over again as Anna conquered the checker board for what seemed the hundredth time. Anna grinned. She was a master at checkers - not unlike Elsa, who was just as brilliant. Gerda and Rapunzel were terrible at games involving strategy, so they'd often drop out early during rounds and drift off to paint outside.

"Hans," Anna asked hesitatingly, "your memory...how damaged is your brain?" She flinched a little, hoping she wasn't pressing too hard on such a sensitive subject. Hans didn't seem too afflicted - on the contrary, he answered with a smile, lined like lace with sadness, and some simple words;

"When I first came here, the doctors asked me who I was and where I came from. I couldn't remember much... except that I was a soldier in the war between Arendelle and the Southern Isles, just like everyone else in this ward." He gestured around in a graceful, mysterious manner. "Oh, and that my name was Hans."

"That's all?"

"I have no other."

That's awful, Anna wanted to say, but her throat was stuffed up like a jar of cotton, so all she could do was choke slightly in sympathy.

"But it's alright," continued Hans, and he sounded surprisingly calm. "The world will only keep turning. I've got you, at least." His face brightened so much, full of affection that matched a sibling's, that Anna felt guilty without knowing why.

To her relief, the Queen stalked over in her heels to the doorway, calling, "Anna, it's been two hours. Be a good girl and come over here this instant." Her commanding voice made all heads turn, and chances were that the men could bow at her feet if they weren't painfully bound to their beds. Among the curious faces of the soldiers as Anna followed her mother, Hans's eyes still looked desperately after her, almost pleading even, as if two hours with a friend wasn't enough in his standards.

-o0o-

 **Early February, 1917**

A bright flash momentarily stunned Elsa. She blinked. A man with sleek black hair and a curled moustache kneeled before her, but not in the usual way all royal princesses were used to - he was busy adjusting the slides on a brick-sized camera settled comfortably on a tripod with long stick legs. Meanwhile, Elsa was standing against the wall in the living room, her face powdered to look like flour and dressed in her mother's periwinkle blue ceremony gown, sheets of heavy silk pouring like a waterfall down from her sash.

" _Fantastique_ ," the photographer exclaimed, as he took another photo. "You are quite the delicate beauty, Mademoiselle. Just lift up your chin a little higher and purse your lips." Elsa did as she was told, and once again nearly lost her eyesight as he fiddled with the buttons.

"How is the photography, dear Pierre?" the Queen asked, her voice floating down the stairs as she entered the room. She smiled at her daughter, who no longer looked the little girl she once knew.

"She is lovely, Your Majesty," Pierre answered enthusiastically. "Sensible, darling, and, in other words, a true princess. I dare say Her Highness has heard this a trifle too many times." The Queen laughed and nodded. "I will wrap up now. The photographs should arrive in a few weeks when they've printed. My princess, I thank you for your unfaltering patience."

" _Oui, monsieur. Ce fut un plaisir,_ " replied Elsa, speaking in perfect French. Pierre smiled hearing the familiar language from his native country.

"I see you've been practising well. Well, _au revoir,_ princess. Wishing you all the best." The photographer folded up his tripod and camera, packed it away in his suitcase, and left whistling a bouncy tune. The Queen turned to Elsa.

"I'll fetch the maids, dear," she told her. "You should take a bath after you've undressed from the gown. It looks far too heavy to carry for the rest of the day." With an obedient nod, Elsa followed her mother out the door.

Afterwards, Elsa headed straight for her father's study. The room was just as cold and empty as last time she went in, which wasn't saying much - without Father sitting at his desk, writing letters and checking reports, the warmth had long extinguished like a candle flame and been replaced with a piercing chill that made Elsa shudder in spite of herself.

No matter how much she made the seat comfortable, Elsa couldn't rest properly in the cushioned chair her father would normally use, and tried seeking inner comfort by stroking the thin, jagged lines of the cedar table that was no longer crowded with hundreds of sorted papers. Oh Father, she whispered to herself, You don't know how much it pains me for you to be out at war and not with us.

"Elsa?" Jumping in fright, Elsa spun around, almost expecting the King to appear at the doorway, rushing over to hug her to bits and announce that the war was over and everyone could go home. Instead of a black uniform with medals, however, a thick woolly emerald dress was sighted, lined with intricate braids tied with matching ribbons. Anna continued to peer curiously at her eldest sister, an irrevocable question drawn on her freckled face.

"Oh - I...I...," stuttered Elsa, who had been caught off guard. "I...I was just coming here to see Father's study. No one's really been looking after it since Father went to war." The word 'war' somehow wedged between her tonsils and got stuck, and took a great deal to push it out. "So I've been visiting every day for him."

"You don't have to feel bad. I miss him too," said Anna reassuringly, and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Besides, it won't be long before the war ends, and Father will be back, and we shall run into his arms and weep in joy."

"Before the war ends," Elsa scoffed, pushing the chair back with a sharp jerk. "It's been three months now since the Southern Isles declared war - it's still going, and even managed to weave its way through Christmas and into the new year. I want the war to stop, Anna," she said, glancing at her with a look of protest, "but I don't need anyone to tell me that the war will end. I want to know when. When will all this be over? When will the Southern Isles get over their stupid grudge for their supposedly missing prince? When will Father come home?"

Anna's arms wrapped around Elsa like a leather belt. "We may not know much, Elsa. I may not know much. Look at me - I barely know anything about the war, other than when we're in geography lessons and the tutor informs us where the Arendelle army is travelling next, or when the daily newspaper is being read at morning tea. All we can ever do is hope for the best. I know that doesn't settle matters," she added, seeing Elsa's skeptical look, "but truly, we cannot do anything else. How about we pretend? Pretend that there is no war and everyone's at peace. Pretending isn't harmful, depending on how you do it. Believing it - that's the dangerous part of pretence. So if I were you, I wouldn't go too far."

Elsa smiled weakly and let her sister kiss her, though she couldn't help but remain even after Anna had vanished from sight. Could pretending really solve all her problems? Whatever comes, though, which ever way the war turned, she'd be ready. And so, she hoped, would her father.


	6. Chapter 6

**Valentine's Day, 1917**

February the fourteenth went by like any other day - except the halls were draped in pink, marble statues of naked winged cupids were placed along the corridor, and the floor on Gerda's room was covered in cut-out paper hearts. Anna had disappeared early on in the morning to give a carefully wrapped box of caramel chocolates to Hans, and the Queen had already written a letter to her husband, including sneaky substitutes for words that required for the younger sisters' ears to be plugged up had they been said out loud.

In the dining room, Gerda's nose was stuck in a newspaper. The main article ominously read, _Bloody Valentine's: Huge massacre kills more than seven hundred people at six 'o clock during the morning in the kingdom of Maydon, an ally of Arendelle in the current war, during the day of love. The King of Maydon is to take immediate action. The starter of the truly terrifying event is yet to be identified._

 _Awful_ , Gerda thought in disgust. _To think that all these people were innocent and had nothing to do with the war._

"I wonder what Eugene is doing right now," sighed Rapunzel as she twirled a rose between her fingers. "Is he alright? I expect he's having a hard time on the warfront, poor thing."

"Don't just sit there," insisted Gerda firmly, who was sitting inches away from where they sat alone at the table. "Send him a telegram. Say you miss him, and that you'll come over and make love to him while you're at it." Rapunzel wanted to whack her on the head for saying such things, when the telephone in the corridor rang. Since Mother was not there, Rapunzel volunteered to answer the call.

"Punz..." A voice gasped from the other end of the line.

"Anna? What's wrong? Did you see a man throw up again?"

"Ha, ha," she replied sarcastically, and Rapunzel could've sworn Anna had rolled her eyes, judging from her tone. "Listen - Eugene's here."

"What?" Rapunzel exclaimed, the curly cord attached to the phone almost at the point of tearing off in her shock.

"He's in Ward 722. He looks terrible - countless scars, and he's wounded all over; I think he's about to have an operation."

Rapunzel's face suddenly went white as a ghost, her skin fully pale. Eugene was in Arendelle - but in the most horrible condition a soldier could get himself into. What should she do? The carriage had already been used, and the Queen was at the hospital.

"What's wrong?" Gerda quizzed as Rapunzel returned with a thick brown coat. Rapunzel was too breathless to answer. She needed to find Elsa.

"A motor car?" Elsa stared at her from her place at her desk. "Are you mad? You don't know how to drive one. Besides, it's too dark-"

"I don't care," Rapunzel shouted in her anger and panic to reach Eugene. "He's going to be operated on. He needs me." And for once, wedging them straight from the depths of her heart, she was proud to say these three simple but sincere words;

 _I'm his fiancée._

"Alright," Elsa sighed heavily. "But I'll call for Professor Gillan and ask him to operate it." Rapunzel nodded frantically. Anything if it means I can see him.

Gillan agreed to help Rapunzel, and in an instant both were outside in freezing weather, hopping into the motor car - polished black, with gold engravings and shiny headlights - but like all others had no roof.

"We'll arrive there safely, but I must warn you-" Gillan looked behind him as he reversed at the driver's wheel before moving forward "-you'll have no choice but to suffer the cold."

Rapunzel's teeth chattered as the car bustled through the roads - flakes of snow descended upon them as passerby's eyes followed them along the streets. This was necessary for a change, because it distracted her every now and then from the pain of worry.

Once the car had been parked in front of the hospital, Rapunzel burst through the front doors, racing along the busy corridor, not caring if she bumped into a nurse or an entire group of them. _Please Eugene,_ she prayed desperately as a vague form of Gillan's voice yelled across for her to slow down. _Please, please, please. Don't die. Stay alive for as long as you can grip onto dear life._

"Please! Where is he? Where is Eugene?" Rapunzel cried, her head spinning as her hands gripped the counter tightly and sweat trickled down her forehead.

The doctor's eyes studied her carefully. He was rather startled - taken aback, really - upon seeing Rapunzel's drained and determined face, and said, slowly, "You mean the Duke of Corona?"

Next thing she knew, Rapunzel was struggling to keep up with a metal framed gurney, pushed by several nurses, their red crosses blazing and the white brims of their bonnets flying to match the wind. Lying on the gurney was Eugene, wrapped up in bandages like a mummy. Despite the extra measures, blood was seeping through quickly and all that could be heard from the Duke were moaning noises, and the occasional whimper. Rapunzel tried to ease his mind from the pain as best as she could.

The gurney was wheeled inside a room guarded by double doors, which seemed to be bunked with desks filled with metal instruments, as well as doctors wearing masks, whom the young women in charge of Eugene joined. Rapunzel was about to follow when one of the nurses stopped her.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness," she murmured, shaking her head. "The doctors won't let you in. This operation is being performed in secret." To put it alternatively, it wasn't like any of the others where invalids was operated on in one of the wards.

Rapunzel could only watch through one of the ring windows on the doors as the medical staff circled Eugene, a curtain sweeping the gurney out of her sight. Tears welled up in her eyes. Is Eugene ever going to come out alive? Is this possibly his last hour?

"Your Highness?" Rapunzel's eyes fluttered, blinking away any evidence of her crying, before turning around to meet Gillan's saddened ones. The tutor offered his hand, and Rapunzel, gratefully, took it - together, they walked to the place that was outside, as Rapunzel stole one more glance behind her, and a new thought lifted in her head like a rising sun.

 _No_ , she told herself. _He'll be fine. My beloved will live._

-o0o-

 **March, 1917**

"Last snow day!" Gerda hollered, still in her nightgown but skipping along the palace corridors and knocking on every door. Cupping her hands and positioning herself, she made sure that her voice was within earshot. "Get outside before it all melts!"

Her sisters grumbled as Gerda whisked the sheets off their beds. Gerda ignored their complaints that it was only six thirty in the morning, and that they weren't to be up for another hour.

The princesses, along with seven servants and three men in tow, were soon trudging up the hill that led up to Camille Gardens, which was just part of the property that the King owned along with the palace. For the rest of the morning everyone skated figure eights across the ice, careful not to skim over the surface that was about to give way to frosty water. The Queen had lent warm things for her daughters to wear, so the sisters stood out in the stark white of the park, in their ivy-patterned mint green coats, throwing snowballs that left marks resembling sugar all over.

While Anna and Rapunzel carried ploughs of snow and dragged shovels to build a snowman (they'd been trying to break a record for the biggest one), Elsa held Gerda's hands into her own, covered with wool mittens, and winked. "Hold on."

Gerda squealed in delight as Elsa pulled her, their skates skidding and bodies shivering, though they were well rugged up. "Is this safe?" she shrieked, as they increased in speed and was only met with rapid giggles from Elsa. Anna and Rapunzel were caught in stitches, laughing their heads off, and then endeavoured to find their own skates.

Margaret, the lady-in-waiting in charge of the snow party, suggested that they host one more round of a snowball fight before returning inside. She teamed up with the royals while the servants fell in a spot against them. Anna and Gerda were excellent at throwing, so for the majority of the game they hit out five of their opponents point blank in a matter of minutes. At one point Gerda hurled one particular snowball, and it shot past Gretchen, one of the young maids, barely missing her earlobe.

A game of catch commenced shortly after teatime, and everyone stood in a circle as each player passed one of Gerda's childhood balls to the other, in whichever way possible and was allowed. Anna got carried away, though, and the pink ball flew like an arrow into the forest of dark fir trees.

"I'll get it," volunteered Gretchen, and raced down the hill, disappearing into the fog. Everyone else waited patiently, expecting her to come back in a few seconds, but after fifteen minutes, they were getting worried - Gretchen still hadn't returned.

"Maybe we should go and see where she is," began Gerda nervously, when suddenly a chilling scream rang from the forest, followed by an ear-splitting bang - the unmistakable sound of a gun shot.

Gerda's face went pale. In a swift movement, she escaped under the servants' arms and rushed to trace the noise. Elsa, Rapunzel and Anna followed her, yelling for her to come back to safety. Lady Margaret was at their heels, not wanting to risk the girls' lives being endangered.

When they'd reached deep into the clearing of trees and bushes, their blood went immediately cold. A limp form wearing a black winter frock and filthy apron emerged in their eyes. Strands of sandy curls peeked out from a humble bonnet, and the snow had painted the area around her red. Gerda clapped a hand over her mouth in horror, realising where the red stains had come from - in the form of a liquid, pouring from the girl's stomach as rapidly as any of the princesses had ever seen.

"Gretchen!" Rapunzel choked, and weeped uncontrollably on Elsa's shoulder. Margaret, who was well trained in nursing, ran over to kneel beside the poor girl, and tore off a piece of cloth from her dress to wrap over the area where she'd been shot.

"She's bleeding buckets," the lady-in-waiting told the sisters in a small trembling voice, "and appears to be unconscious." Margaret eyed each one, who all stood in a tight huddle, paralysed with fright. "Somebody needs to head back to the park, and tell the servants that a maid's been gunned down." Anna chose herself, and turned around in a flurry. She only hoped that Gretchen would still be alive by the time they'd received help.

-o0o-

Seventeen hours later, Gretchen died of blood loss and trauma during the night in the palace's hospital wing. Everyone mourned in the aftermath of the tragic event, and no one more than Rapunzel, who had shared ages, and were day-to-day playmates during their childhood. Anna felt especially guilty - she'd thrown the ball to danger and Gretchen's death. _Oh, if only I knew where that ball would land,_ she thought to herself furiously, _Gretchen wouldn't be dead._

As if she'd read her mind, Elsa smiled sadly at her. "It's not your fault," she whispered soothingly. "No one could have saved, let alone protected her from those awful bullets." Anna replied with a strangled sob, sneaking a wipe on the nose.

Now that the grieving was over, there was one question that everyone was burning to have answered: Who did it? When there is a murder, there is also rumours and speculations, as was proved ten days later when most members of the palace started speaking about who could possibly have slaughtered Gretchen.

"It was a man," one maid declared as whispers hung like clouds around the royal family's staff, "I just know it. According to Lady Margaret, when she and the princesses went to carry Gretchen away, they caught a brief glimpse of a pair of long legs dressed with pants and leather shoes in a great hurry to flee the scene."

"An assassin from the Southern Isles - or perhaps one of our other war enemies - on a secret mission to assassinate the King. It's not very logical, or in the least bit manageable however, because His Majesty is supposed to be in Maydon visiting victims of the Bloody Valentine's massacre right now."

"An escaped insane patient from the nearby hospital, who had mistaken poor Gretchen for one of the King's daughters. She was seventeen when the killing happened."

Even though they were young and innocent, the four princesses were no daft hermits living in caves when it came to such incidents. They'd been talking amongst themselves in the secrecy of their bedrooms.

"It must be a member of the anti-Arendelle party," decided Gerda to her sisters, "who intended to raid the palace and politically overthrow us. Even if he succeeded, he couldn't try or even dare kill Father. He'd have to go through him first if he were to have what he truly wanted."

"But the war is still on," Rapunzel said reasonably, "so the palace is meant to be heavily guarded with the best security. Surely you know that."

"Yet he managed to pass through."

"Look, Gerda," sighed Rapunzel, "we don't know who the assassin is. God knows what this man intends to do to us. Maybe eventually the guards will catch him walking freely, or the killer ends up surrendering to the ministry."

But no matter the number of theories the maids and princesses came up with, they did not leave anyone any closer to solving the mystery. And it seemed the war would not make the long-awaited end anytime soon.


	7. Chapter 7

**Easter, 1917**

The palace gardens were full of life after midnight had passed and Easter had come around. A long table was set in the middle, decorated with a green cloth dotted with pink spots, as as well as diamond bunny statues and hundreds of plates, filled with roast lamb, pancakes swimming in butter, and chocolate eggs. The trees around them grew beautiful cherry blossoms, their branches hanging colourful lanterns - red, green, blue, orange, even a few gold. The gazebo had also been adorned with glittering yellow lights for the occasion.

The Queen had invited every person she knew as guests at the Easter dinner party. There was her younger sister, the princesses' Aunt Idun. She and Elsa were a spitting image of each other, with her sapphire blue eyes and thick dark hair. Idun greeted her nieces with hugs and kisses, giving them each a small gift - they were miniature jewelled eggs, each containing a 'surprise' inside. Anna received a porcelain bunny that seemed to shine different colours when held under the light. Gerda found a ruby ring inside hers, and the older sisters bracelets stringed with pearls.

"Swap you for a bracelet?" Gerda asked Rapunzel, clutching her arm with begging eyes. Rapunzel told her that no, she may not, and that they had more than plenty of pearls back in the palace.

The other guests were not nearly as pleasant. Another guest that attended that night was the King's mother, the Duchess Ada. She hadn't seen the girls since the Queen was pregnant with her fourth and final child. So upon seeing Gerda, who like the other princesses wore a celadon dress sprinkled with glass butterflies, called her a 'skinny child,' with 'no sense of humour.'

"Did I offend her?" Gerda asked with a bemused expression. The girls were sitting on wooden swings away from the chatter and noise of the party guests lingering nearby.

"She's always been like that," Elsa replied, adjusting the white flowers in her braid. "That is, from the moment she became a grandmother."

"And it doesn't help either that Grandmamma is getting old," added Rapunzel, "so she'll only get cranky the more she ages."

The Queen announced soon after for everyone to pick partners for a dance around the gazebo. Rapunzel and Elsa were immediately chosen, while Kai, dressed in his only Sunday best, plucked up the courage to ask Gerda. Both were hopping around, red as the roses threading around the marble gazebo pillars.

Anna shrunk against a shady tree, watching the couples dance happily around a magical display. Of course no one wanted the clumsy, gangly teenager who was uncomfortably stuck between the stages of a child and an adult. If only Hans were here...

"Psst," a familiar voice hissed. Anna turned in surprise to find Hans sitting on a lone bench, performing small tricks with a plucked daisy. The black tuxedo he wore was simple, but it suited him.

"Hans! How did you-?"

"Snuck out," he answered with a devilish grin. "Thought I'd have one night of freedom out before going back to the hospital." Hans lifted himself up, wincing in pain as he struggled to move his broken leg.

"Hans," Anna told him firmly, "you need to go back. Now."

"Why? So I can spend another miserable night in the ward? You don't understand how unpleasant living in the hospital can be-"

"Yes, I do," Anna looked Hans in the eye carefully. "I've been there before."

"Visiting me every few weeks doesn't count."

"No, that's not what I mean. When I was five I was involved in a motor car accident with my grandmother Marie."

"Really?" Hans's forehead creased.

"My grandmother was killed from a case of head trauma, and I almost died too - I was in the hospital for three months." Anna had never told this story to anyone outside of their family. But since Hans was now a friend, Anna already felt he was trustworthy. She pointed to a faint streak beneath her hairline. "That was from hitting my head against the crushed metal. The accident is partially the reason why we don't use motors."

Hans nodded understandably. "So is that why you're concerned? About me, that is."

"I bet you've never been in a single car accident before. Maybe you're not as fragile as I thought." Her eyes fell from his head to his toes, and over again like a comb through hair. "Would you like a dance? I haven't got a partner yet. And where did you buy that tuxedo?"

"Never mind where I got it," Hans said quickly. Then without warning, he yanked Anna's hand, sending her into a daze. What started out as an awkward scramble to settle into their steps became a majestic process of waltzing moves. Anna felt light on her feet, as if they'd left the whole world beneath them ages away. For a young war-ridden soldier who lost all traces of memories made, Hans was quite the excellent dancer.

All too soon, the dance came to an end. Before going, Hans finished the sequence with a bow - to which his partner answered with a bob of the head and a curtsy - and kissed the back of her palm, which instantly turned a deep shade of pink.

Anna felt sorry - regretted, even - she had ever wanted Hans to return to the hospital, as the lad waved goodbye and disappeared into the distant clearing.

-o0o-

A hidden dark shape crept through the doorway, checking that no one was awake, and that his surroundings were clear. No sound disturbed the silence, except for a few ticking noises from inside the walls - the grandfather clock was just on the other side - and Rapunzel's slow, steady breathing from under the sheets. The shape continued forwards, beyond the doorway and across the room, reaching Rapunzel's bed within moments. A hand went to rummage inside his front pocket, until finally pulling out...

 _A long sharp dagger._

Elsa woke up gasping as she heard screams filling the corridor. At first she thought she was hearing things. But then it occurred to her that the screams sounded all too real.

In a matter of minutes Elsa had burst through the doorway, and upon seeing the figure looming over a frightened Rapunzel on the floor, she cried out and ran towards her sister's would-be assassin. Then without realising what she was doing, Elsa shoved the person into Rapunzel's dressing screen and plummeted her fist into his stomach.

Elsa heard the figure yell "Bitch!" before scrambling to his feet and disappearing through the window. Not bothering to stop and think, she whirled around to make sure that her sister was not injured.

Rapunzel was not hurt, but she was trembling from head to foot and her face was ghostly white. "He nearly got me," she whispered, her voice jolting. "I rolled off the bed to get away from him. I would be dead now if you hadn't arrived."

"Don't thank me," Elsa was nearly shaking herself. "It was instinct. Instinct to save you, my dear sister." The two embraced, crying into each other's shoulders.

"What's going on?" The Queen came rushing into the room, followed by Anna and Gerda. All looked anxious and shrieked upon seeing the smashed window and the two elder princesses' crinkled nightgowns and ruffled hair.

"A man" - Elsa took a deep breath - "broke into Rapunzel's room, and tried to kill her."

"Elsa saved me," Rapunzel added, but the Queen ignored her, already having been appalled at the prospect of someone trying to harm one of her daughters.

"My God, Rapunzel! Did he hurt you?"

"No," Rapunzel answered. Her entire body seemed to be unnaturally tense.

The Queen hugged her as tightly as her arms would let her. "I'm just glad you're alive and well."

Elsa, Anna, and Gerda all exchanged worried glances. The first break-in of the palace was the first, but certainly wouldn't be the last. It only served as proof that Arendelle wasn't as safe as it was before the Southern Isles had declared war.


	8. Chapter 8

It was nothing short of clear that the incident that night had inflicted serious damage upon the reputation of the Arendelle royal guard. The next day Queen Rosemary had dismissed almost half their guards, believing that the castle needed more protection than ever before. The attempted murder of Princess Rapunzel of Arendelle had greatly shocked the kingdom, who as well as the Queen decidedly blamed the break-in on 'faulty security.' It had been made clear that the guards had failed their mission: to protect the lives of the kingdom and the royal family.

The new replacements were more keen-eyed and had sharper hearing, appointed by a desperate Rosemary. However, they had their own flaws: the slightest of noises got them all worked up. Once the sound of tiny scampering caused the guards to point their spears at what turned out to be a little grey mouse trying to find its way home.

"At least they're more alert than those oafs we had," said Rosemary.

-o0o-

 **Late June, 1917**

"It's a shame there's still a war going on," Anna sighed despondently, her face slipping gradually from her hand, which was meant to keep it aloft. "My sixteenth birthday was dreadful. There was no dancing, no ball parties, not even a gown for me to wear. At least I get to wear my hair up," and she reached to touch her hair, now wrapped around the top of her head with a variety of green ribbons. "What did your dress look like, Punz?"

"Complaining won't get you anywhere, Anna," Rapunzel said, somewhat coldly. "If it did, you would get a scolding." Anna ignored her and slumped against the seat. A foul mood began to wash over her body. Elsa and Rapunzel exchanged glances. Anna had been acting funny since they'd boarded a ship from Arendelle to Maydon and took a private train from there.

Outside, the whistle wailed, and a long grey cloud of smoke trailed from the front of the train they were in. The carriages were coated in blue and gold paint, while inside each compartment two sets of cushioned seats were stationed, facing each other with a few pillows - emblazoned with the Arendelle crest - stuffed in the corner. A few carriages ahead, there was a grand dining room that was just as nicely furnished as the one back at the palace. The carriage behind was a particular favourite of the girls', because it was where the film projector resided.

They called the compartment their 'little cinema.' Since they'd never gone to a real-life cinema even once in their lives (their mother preferred going to the opera), Agdar had agreed to install a particularly expensive projecter, where it played some of America's finest silent films on an empty square on the wall. There were even two red velvet curtains either side, so the girls could draw them closed and pretend they were going to the cinema.

Anna trudged off grumpily to the cinema compartment and inserted a film reel into the projector. A bright light pooled over the 'screen,' the room now dimly lit, and revealed several black and white images of people moving, making exaggerated expressions and gestures (Anna thought it made them look rather silly) and several title cards explained what was going on as the film went on.

"Can I come in?" A timid voice whispered halfway through. It was Gerda.

Anna thought for a solid minute before saying, "Fine."

"I like this one," said Gerda as she settled herself into one of the cushion seats on the floor. "It's the one with the funny French mime and his rogue poodle."

"It's not that funny," Anna muttered, but she couldn't help but stifle a giggle when the mime on the screen slipped on a banana peel while trying to chase after his dog.

Gerda cocked her head while studying Anna's expressionless face, which was set in stone. "You seem troubled a lot lately. Is there anything wrong?"

Anna didn't know what to say. Would it be worse if she said yes or no?

"Come on, you can tell me. I'm your sister." Gerda's hurt expression was what forced the words out of Anna's throat.

"I'm worried about Hans."

"For God's sake, you can't have had to mention Hans again," Gerda groaned. "How many times already have you said something about him on the four hours we've been on this train?"

"I care about him, thank you very much," Anna replied, glaring at her sister with a stare that could potentially trigger death. "He's my-"

"Boyfriend?"

"Excuse me, but when have I _ever_ told you specifically that he was my boyfriend?"

Gerda froze. She'd never told anyone, not even Rapunzel, that she had read Anna's diary. It was a terrible giveaway, and she instantly regretted it the moment the word fell out of her mouth. Anna peered at her, suspicion dawning on her face.

It was Gerda's greatest fortune that Elsa had come walking in that moment, announcing supper. She swooped under the crown princess's arm leaning against the doorway and managed to escape an unwanted quarrel before it came.

-o0o-

"Girls, we're nearly there," Rosemary pointed out after she had gone to consult the train driver. Elsa and Rapunzel glanced up from their afternoon tea, which consisted of simple plain biscuits pasted over with white icing, and a cup of English tea.

"The soldiers' headquarters?" Rapunzel asked, taking a steady sip from her cup.

The Queen nodded with a smile.

"We'll be able to see Father again," Elsa said breathlessly, clasping her hands together in excitement. "Will he be there when we arrive?"

"Depends on whether he's in the middle of a battle or not," her sister answered. "He could be trying to take over Weselton for all we know."

"You mean _Weaseltown_?" Gerda snorted, poking her head through the compartment entrance. She and Anna spent the next few minutes squawking and flapping their arms, pretending to perform one of the Duke of Weselton's infamous dance moves. This earned them an eyeroll from all three of their audience members.

"Suppose he's not there," Elsa said slowly after a moment of laughter, "and neither are his troops. Then...?"

"Don't be a goofball. There's bound to be at least one or two troops taking a rest from the action."

"When it comes to wars, there is no resting," said Rapunzel, staring at the tines of her fork. "They'll most likely be planning on their next move. Or watching guard while their king is away."

"Smoking cigars, more like," Gerda disputed. "You know Father's men, they're only obedient and respectful if Father is present."

"Gerda!" Rosemary scolded. "Our men are very much respectable people. Do not question their loyalty to our family."

"I never said they weren't _loyal_ -," Gerda began, but Elsa interrupted. "It doesn't matter. I'm certain that when we reach headquarters, we'll be coming across a pleasant lot."

-o0o-

Elsa could have been wrong. Or she could have been right. Either way they would never know, because the moment the Queen and her daughters stepped out of the carriage, in a matter of time they realised no one was there. When they tried the front doors, the women were dismayed to find they'd been locked.

"Bloody soldiers," Rosemary muttered under her breath as she paced around the grass surrounding a well-hidden building that was meant to be headquarters. "They can't sit still for one _single_ minute!"

"I told you they'd be out smoking cigars," Gerda whispered to her sisters with a triumphant look on her face. "Guess we put on these fashionable fur coats for nothing."

By the time she'd said that, Rosemary returned looking cross. "The next time I see your father, I will absolutely _kill_ him..."


	9. Chapter 9

**UPDATE: I've decided to continue on with the story, so those who have read it from Chapter 1 onwards, sorry to have kept you waiting. I've recovered from my writer's block and I have renewed intentions to go on. Please, though, just bear with me. This may turn out to be a time-consuming project, depending on all sorts of factors (e.g. time limits, inspiration, etc.)**

 **\- ladyofthecherryblossom**

* * *

Elsa snuggled herself in a corner, penning down everything that had recently taken place since they'd arrived at headquarters. She recalled her father's rapid apologies as Rosemary cut through his desperate pleas with her incandescent scolding, and the shame masked beneath the blank faces of the soldiers as they strived to appear in a presentable way as was passable by a Queen's standards. The bitter air of the evening ate through minuscule gaps of the barely compatible walls of the army house, as memories of conversing politely with the battle-worn Arendelle soldiers flooded vividly into her mind came across as one of the happiest ones she had ever carried that concerned the war.

Her fur-trimmed coat had been placed around her shoulders to keep herself warm, despite the dark woolly jumper and matching skirt she wore, both generously provided by the army who knew that the women of the royal family were to stay with them overnight. Elsa's cheeks flushed from the icy atmosphere that hovered about the room, the weight of her body causing irritating squeaking noises within the poorly designed mattress beneath her. Just as she had had it with the amount of times her ink had been woefully spoiled, a knock on the door made her heart leap violently.

In entered a man of twenty-two (which she favourably supposed), presumably a soldier, with a rugged uniform and a mop of tousled brown hair, as if the war had raised all and any neglecting of his appearance. "Her Majesty sent me to ask if Her Highness the Princess Elsa is feeling well," he spoke cautiously.

Elsa's eyebrows curved upwards, perking with surprise. "Yes, of course. But why didn't she come to enquire such matters herself?"

"Because," the soldier inhaled deeply for a brief second, "She knows of my acquaintances."

"But I don't-," Elsa paused with sudden realisation. "Jack? Oh, but it can't be you!"

"I thought you would be more welcoming."

"Hush, I'm still trying to comprehend this," she snapped playfully. "Ten years and not a word! Whatever happened to you?"

Jack must have assumed this as invitation, and trudged silently towards Elsa's makeshift bed, where he sat by her. "I moved to Old Miller's Valley, after my eleventh birthday. My mother didn't want me working as a kitchen boy until I shrivelled up and died, so lately I've been training in carpentry. That is, until the war began, and I rushed to represent Arendelle." He grinned at her. "But enough about me. I want to know what my little girl has been up to during the last decade."

"Not little anymore," Elsa insisted with passion. "I haven't had a friend as close as you since. My sisters have been my only company up until now."

Jack's face was richer than the sun, but his eyes filled with a sort of deeply carved-in disappointment that was almost complicated for Elsa to take apart and analyse, as if she were a nurse with tweezers that picked up emotions. "I see," he said finally, "you've been undergoing training to be a future Queen. Just like the dear Elsa I know."

" _Knew_ ," she corrected him. "For one, I don't do dolls anymore. Or nursery games, in that matter."

"Still," he protested laughingly, then desisted. "Elsa-," he began again, then, out of the blue, he knocked into Elsa (rather clumsily, in her opinion), and his lips found their way between hers.

Elsa's eyes widened beyond measure, nearly toppling over the bed in a dazed fit of shock. Her hands wriggled for something, anything to hold on to, and instead grasped the back of his neck. Discovering the odd bliss of what she had first regarded as unexpected, Elsa felt her knees lock and her guard succumbing in one trembling gasp.

"Elsa," Jack asked her abruptly, "have you ever slept with another man before?"

Having a vague idea of where this was going, Elsa slowly shook her head.

"Would you like a demonstration?"

"But-,"

"I'll be gentle, I promise," Jack assured her in a hoarse whisper, "and I'll stop if you don't want to go any further."

Elsa thought in the heat of the moment. Despite her eighteen years, she and her sisters had never been properly educated on such subjects, and was curious to see whether it hurt or not. Besides, with a war behind them, anything could happen. Jack could die tomorrow if fate chose it - and her heart would break in two if he did. So, with all that put aside, she nodded, that one signal of consent that would forever change her life in so many ways.

" _Oui mon cher_ ," she said with a slight wobble in her tone, and both parties bowled over onto the full surface of the bed.

* * *

"Gerda, stop acting like a monkey and find your seat," Anna reprimanded her younger sister crossly as Gerda spent the next few minutes chasing after a stray dog who had somehow trespassed the headquarters' borders and was now circling the dining table with several little yaps. Meanwhile, Rapunzel graced the room with light-footed steps, her golden mane knotted into a wavy chignon and her pale lavender gown a pretty sight to be first seen in the morning. She slapped the latest roll of the daily newspaper before her seat, and nimbly crossed over to the bowl of cheese, prepared to hand herself a few fresh slices. And speaking of fresh...

"You could use some pills, Elsa. You look as if you've beaten up your beauty away," Anna remarked innocently as Elsa came in looking worn and unkempt, her hair tangled up in a horrific bush. The state of her nightgown told the sisters that she had somehow rolled around in it for a good hour or two.

"Spare me," Elsa replied, her voice dripping with mingled annoyance and sarcasm, though a layer of tiredness was crusted over. "No doubt you've had your own share of bad hair days."

"How about cheese, _mon beau_?" offered Rapunzel with a hidden snicker, thrusting the bowl she held towards Elsa's disastrous looking figure. "There's not much else the army can give."

Elsa feigned injury and distaste. "But I thought speaking French was mine to perform alone."

While the four princesses busied themselves with preparing their breakfast and eating it, Rosemary greeted her daughters with, "Good morning, girls..." and stopped short when she turned to Elsa. "Good heavens, child. Were you near to being run over by the department of destroying one's appearance?"

"I _tried_ combing my hair," Elsa persisted in complaint. "But nothing, not even bobby pins, would work on me."

"Ah, well, such is life," the Queen returned with a low sigh, and stooped fleetingly to read the newspaper provided by Rapunzel. She recited the text in a startlingly quick pace, over and over, and flipped the paper so that it faced the girls quite plainly. "Have any of you cared to hear what the paper has said lately?"

"It's a fresh copy, received only half an hour ago," explained Rapunzel after swallowing the last of her cheese. "So none of us would have read it."

"' _QUEEN OF ARENDELLE FROLICS WITH HER HUSBAND DURING TIME OF WAR_ ,'" Rosemary revealed the headline, bursting out with released fury. "According to the daily herald, ' _His Majesty the King Agdar of Arendelle's wife, Queen Rosemary, has recently taken to abandoning her kingdom in its times of greatest needs for the royal family, and instead chose to spend some 'hubby' time with her beloved. Journalists are criticizing Her Majesty for not performing her duties as she should while His Majesty is away...'_ I can't believe it!" Rosemary finished, and dropped the newspaper without much notice or care of where it landed.

"The paper didn't mention anything about the girls and me," Gerda pointed out suspiciously, "And I'm sure if you wanted to 'spend some hubby time,' as it said, you certainly would not have brought us."

"Indeed," the Queen simply agreed with eyes sharper than butcher knives. "Now, I want you all ready for mass by eight. And no fretting about ruined hair or other faults-" glancing once more at the likes of Elsa, "-remember, we have maids."

* * *

 **P.S. The character 'Jack' may or may not be Jack Frost from ROTG. I'll leave it to your wild imaginations ;)**


End file.
